


Waltz

by yeaka



Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: M/M, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-14
Updated: 2019-10-14
Packaged: 2020-12-15 22:57:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21026129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeaka/pseuds/yeaka
Summary: Thomas has another dance.





	Waltz

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Set during the movie. This isn’t properly British.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don’t own Downton Abbey or any of its contents, and I’m not making any money off this.

Thomas knows better than this. He always makes the same mistakes and never seems to learn. The same night that he’s dragged into the stationhouse for dancing with a man, he finds himself in another’s arms, doing it all over again.

He tells himself it’ll be worth it this time. Richard is tall and handsome, steadfast and _strong_, graceful in his steps. It isn’t even that that entrances Thomas—it’s just not being _judged_. His standards have fallen so low over the years. It’s nice that Richard’s a perfect specimen, but he could be a rat, and Thomas would still dance with him.

Thomas lets Richard lead, because he’s too dead to do it. He’s still shaken. The liquor’s still in him, but not enough to fully dull his nerves. When he shuts his eyes, his mind traces back to that one moment of elation: finding grown men laughing, dancing, _enjoying_ one another. And then the police rushed in and ruined it all, and suddenly Thomas is in the back of a locked car on his way to another jail cell. So he keeps his eyes open. He studies Richard’s face as he’s lovingly guided through each step.

They’ve taken their shoes off. Their socks sweep silently across the battered floor. They can’t risk being heard. Their jackets have been peeled away by tentative fingers, but they’re both fully dressed otherwise, and Thomas is going to leave the second the doorknob rattles. A chair is wedged up against it, but that’s not enough protection. They only have one night of this before Richard’s whisked away. Thomas wants to savour it. But he’s not going to risk throwing his life away. He’s not going to stay the night like he wants. He was going to leave as soon as he saw Richard to his quarters, babbling more gratitude for getting him out of the station. But Richard had invited him in. Richard sympathized with Thomas’ ruined dance and offered him another. Thomas should’ve said no.

Thomas is a fool. He let Richard suck him in, and he still buzzes with hope. Maybe this one will really work. Maybe Richard won’t forget all about this as soon as he’s back in his own castle, serving a far greater man than Thomas will ever be. 

Richard closes the space between them to brush a soft kiss over Thomas’ lips. Then he leans his forehead against Thomas’, closing his eyes. It’s like he can sense Thomas’ inner turmoil and is trying to chase it away. His soothingly thumbs the back of Thomas’ hand. Thomas squeezes his palm and keeps dancing. Their movements are slow and almost sensual. There’s no music, just the steady thrum of Thomas’ racing pulse. Richard tilts to murmur in Thomas’ ear, “Stay a little longer.”

“Can’t,” Thomas grunts. They both know that. They were lucky once, but they might not be again. Thomas trusts _most_ of the abbey’s staff, but none of the king and queen’s. If they’re caught, it’ll all fall down again.

Richard steps that fraction closer. The hand on Thomas’ hip slips down to his lower back, looping around his waist. He’s crushed against Richard’s chest, warm and solid but strangely comforting. Richard’s chin hooks over his shoulder. It’s wild how close Thomas already feels to this man. They don’t know each other at all. They’ve only had a few fleeting hours. But he knows it wasn’t enough. 

He knows he’s getting too attached. He can feel his heart transferring over, and he knows that even if Richard treasures it, it’ll still be broken. He sucks in a breath, tells himself to _be a man_, and makes himself step away.

Richard smiles, but it’s a sad one. He must know what’s happening. They’ve stopped swaying. Thomas mutters, “I’d better go.”

Richard sighs. His gaze lowers, then looks back to Thomas, burning but steeled over. He says, “I’ll see you in the morning.”

Thomas nods. He detangles himself from Richard’s grip, which is harder than it should be, because Thomas doesn’t want to go. His hands are practically shaking as he drags the chair away from the door. 

He leaves and won’t look back.


End file.
